Indiana vs NYU for finance: which is better for breaking into investment banking and finance careers?

NYU is the stronger option for breaking into investment banking and high-finance roles, mainly because of its location in New York City, its recruiting access, and the strength of Stern’s pipeline to banks and buy-side firms. Being in Manhattan makes it much easier to intern during the school year, attend employer events, and build relationships with alumni and recruiters while classes are in session. For pure finance placement, especially front-office roles, NYU has a clear edge.

The biggest differentiator is recruiting proximity. At NYU, students can realistically do part-time internships in the city during the semester, not just in the summer, and that matters a lot in finance because early experience often leads to stronger junior-year internships and return offers. Banks, asset managers, and advisory firms are constantly on campus or nearby, and the density of employer access is hard to match.

At Indiana, students can absolutely reach investment banking and other strong finance jobs, especially if they perform well, network aggressively, and take advantage of Kelley’s finance resources. But the process is usually more structured and competitive internally, whereas at NYU the ecosystem itself puts you closer to the industry from the start.

If your main goal is maximizing odds for investment banking, frequent internships, and direct finance recruiting access, NYU has the advantage. Indiana is still a very strong finance school, especially if cost is much lower, but on career positioning alone, NYU comes out ahead.